Steam-engine governor



W. G. SHEPHERD.-

STEAM ENGINE GOVERNOR.

(No Model.)

No: 529,507. Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

INVENTDR WITNESSEE:

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\VILLIAM G. SHEPHERD, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-=ENGINE GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,507, dated November20, 1894. Application filed May 21, 1894:. Serial No. 511,934. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engine Governors;and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to steam engine governors, and consists incertain improvements in the construction thereof as will be hereinafterfully described and pointed outin the claims.

More particularly my invention relates to that class of governors placedon the crank shaft or an analogous shaft and connected directly with thevalve moving mechanism. Such governors are common and the principlesgoverning their operation are well understood, and my invention does notinvolve any new principle or mode of operation, but is a new andimproved construction for effecting the desired regulation of the valvemoving mechanism.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a governor wheel with the governormechanism in place therein. Fig. 2 shows a section of said wheel andparts 011 the line 22 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow atthe left of Fig. 1.

A marks the governor wheel, usually a fly wheel of the engine; and B,the wrist pin (or if desired a slotted eccentric) to which the valve rod(not shown) is attached. The wrist pin is carried by an arm, I), whichis attached to or made integral with the weight arm, 0, and is pivotedin common with the weight arm on the pivot, O, which is attached to thebody of the governor wheel away from its center, so that the wrist pin,B, has a pivotal movement which not only affects the throw of the pinand consequently the travel of the valve but also by reason of itspivotal action, makes a change in the lead of the valve at differentpoints of cut ofif. Regulating the engine bya relative change of theposition of a pin, B, automatically accomplished is not new with me, andmoving the pin from apivot away from the center is also not new with me,and this movement and the effect of such movement are well understood,and will need no further description by me.

Pivoted on the weight arm, 0', is the weight arm, 0, which forconvenience in description may be said to consist of a main weight arm,0, and an auxiliary weight arm, 0. Cast integrally with or rigidlyattached to the main weight arm, is the main weight, D. The auxiliaryweight arm, 0, has a split end, 0 in which is inserted a bearing, 0which is clamped in place by means of a bolt, 0 passed through the end,0 A knife edged pin, d is set into a crotch, d 01 on a link, d. Theknife edged pin rests in the bearing, 0 and forms a pivot for the link,01'. The auxiliary governor weight D is attached to the end of the link,61.

The auxiliary governor weight is attached to the governor spring, E, bymeans of a hooked end on the spring and pin, d in the weight. Thisspring is attached to a boss, E, on the governor wheel by means of abolt, e, passed through it into the seat of the boss. A washer, e, largeenough to engage a shoulder, e on the boss is placed on the bolt so asto give the bolt support at both ends. A nut, 6 secures the washer andtheleaves of the spring securely in place. The under side of the springdoes not contact the bottom of the boss, E, so that by tightening orloosening the nut, 6 the tension of the spring is increased ordiminished so as to adjust it to balance the weights for the speeddesired. The direction of the spring should be such as to form in itselfa swinging link so as to properly direct the governing movement of theauxiliary weight. In the governor shown the proper movement of theauxiliary governor weight is a movement similar to that of the mainweight, and to effect this movement, the spring should be in a directionsubstantially parallel to the weight arm, C, and so fulcrumed that thelateral movement of the free end of the spring will describesubstantially the same are as the main weight moving from the pivotcenter, 0'. The spring has a lateral spring movement, and is fulcrumedon a fulcrum, E which is seated in the boss, E, and is made adjustablelongitudinally of the spring by means of an adjusting screw, E so thatthe strength of the spring may be varied to adjust it so as to effect aproper operation of the governor. From this it will be seen that thetension of the spring, that is the force with which it resists movement,is regulated by the nut 6 acting upon the end of the spring, and bymeans of which the spring may be adjusted so as to effect the differentspeeds desired; while the strength of the spring, that is its ratio ofincrease in resistance or tension, as it is moved in a direction againstwhich it is tensioned, is regulated by the movable fulcrum, so that thespring may, as nearly as practical, be made to balance the weights, atall points of their movement.

The movement of the governor parts can be readily followed, the dottedlines indicating the positions assumed by said parts when the increasedcentrifugal force,incidenttogreater speed, exerted by the weights issufficient to overcome the centrifugal force exerted by the spring. 7

The auxiliary weight, D, is pivoted to the end of the auxiliary arm,c',rather than made rigid therewith in order that the centrifugal forceacting upon it may be cumulative of the force acting upon the weight, D,rather than of a neutralizing nature, as would be the case if it weremade rigid and received its pivotal movement from the pivot center 0.The length of the link, (1', is preferably such as to bring the weightsdiametrically opposite each other in order that they may be balanced asto the governor wheel, and the lengths of the arms, a and c, arepreferably such that the weights attached to their respective ends arebalanced as to gravity, and in order that the gravity balance of thegovernor mechanism may be more perfectly adjusted, I provide the arm,I), and weight, B, extending from the arm, 0, and being of such weightand so located as to the pivot, O, as to counter-balance the weight ofthe pin, B, and parts connected therewith. It will readily be seen thatby this construction, the parts composing the governor are as few aspossible, and there being so few joints, the friction incident to amovement of the parts is reduced to minimum, and in consequence thegov.- ernor is very sensitive and effective.

The arrangement of the parts as shown will under ordinary circumstancesprevent what is known as racing, butif by reason of the valve stickingor other causes, it is desirable to use a dash pot, I prefer attachingitin the manner shown, which consists of a dash pot, F, attached to thegovernor mechanism at f, and attached to the governor wheel by means ofa spring rod, F, which has a threaded end, f which is screwed into aproperly threaded socket in the governorvwheel. In order that the springrod, F, may readily springenough to allow the movement of the dash potincident to its attachment to a pivoted part of the governor mechanism,I flatten the rod, F,

atf which is preferably at a point near the governor wheel in order thatthe movement may be as small as possible. 1

What I claim as new is 1. In a steam engine governor, the combinationwith the governor wheel; of a pin to which is attached the valve gear;an arm carrying said pin; a pivot on the governor wheel and away fromits center, on which said pin carrying arm is pivoted; a weight armrigidly attached to said pin carrying arm and extending at an anglethereto; acent-rifugal weight attached to said weight arm; and a springarranged to operate centripetally and attached to a moving part of saidmechanism to counterbalance the centrifugal force exerted by the weight.

2. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of a pin to which is attached the valve gear; an arm carrying said pin;a pivot on the governor wheel and away from its center, on which saidpin carrying arm is pivoted; a Weight arm rigidly attached to said pincarry ing arm and extending at an angle thereto; a centrifugal weightrigidly attached to said Weight arm; and a spring arranged to operatecentripetally and attached to a moving part of said mechanism, tocounterbalance the centrifugal force exerted by the weight.

3. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of a pin to which is attached the valve gear; an arm carrying said pin;a pivot on the governor wheel and away from its center on which said pincarrying arm is pivoted; a weight arm rigidly attachedto saidpincarrying arm and extending both sides thereof at an angle thereto; aweight rigidly attached to one end of said weight arm; an auxiliaryweight attached to the opposite end of said weight arm; and a springarranged to operate centripetally and attached to a moving part of saidmechanism to counterbalance the force of the weights.

4. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of the pin to which is attached the valve gear; an arm carrying saidpin; a pivot on the governor wheel on which said pin carrying arm ispivoted; a weight arm rigidly attached to saidpin carrying arm andextending both sides thereof; a weight rigidly attached to one end ofsaid weight arm; an auxiliary weight hung by a pivoted link to the otherend of said weight arm; and a spring arranged to operate con;-tripetally and attached to a moving part of said mechanism tocounterbalance the centrifugal force exerted by the weights.

5. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of a pinto which is attached the valve gear; an arm carrying said pin; apivot on the governor wheel on which said pin carrying arm is pivoted; a

counter weight, B, for a gravity balance for said pin and attachedparts; a weight arm rigidly attached to said pin carrying armandextending both sides thereof; a weight rigidly attached to one end ofsaid weight arm; an auxiliary weight hung by a-:piv0ted link to theother end of said weight arm; and a spring arranged to operatecentripetally and attached to a moving part of said mechanism tocounterbalance the centrifugal force exerted by the weights.

6. In a steam engine governor, the combination with a centrifugallyacting governor weight therein; of a spring connected therewith andarranged to operate laterally; and means of varying the strength of saidspring.

7. In a steam engine governor, the combination with a centrifugall racting governor weight therein; of a spring connected therewith andarranged to operate laterally; means for varying the tension of saidspring; and means of varying the strength of said spring.

8. In a steam engine governor, the combination with a swingingcentrifugally acting governor weight therein; ofa spring link connectedwith said weight which controls the direction of the movement of saidWeight and is arranged centripetally against the movement of saidweight; and means of varying the strength of said spring.

9. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheeland a swinging centrifugally acting governor weight; of a laterallytensioned longitudinally inextensible spring attached to the governorwheel and connected with the governor weight, the direction of saidspring being such as to properly control the direction of the movementof the governor weight and so arranged as to centripetally restrain themovement of said weight; and an adjustable fulcrum for said spring.

10. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of the pin to which is attached the valve gear; an arm carrying saidpin; a pivot on the governor wheel on which said pin carrying arm ispivoted; a weight arm rigidly attached to said pin carrying arm andextending both sides thereof; a

weight rigidly attached to one end of said an auxiliary weight hung by aweight arm;

pivoted link to the other end of said Weight arm; and a laterallytensioned longitudinally inextensible spring attached to the governorwheel and connected with said auxiliary weight and so directioned as togive to said weight the desired direction of movement and tensioned torestrain it centripetally.

11. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of the pin to which is attached the valve gear; an arm oarrying saidpin; a pivot on the governor wheel on which said pin carrying arm ispivoted; a weight arm rigidly attached'to said pin carrying arm andextending both sides thereof; a weight rigidly attached to one end ofsaid weight arm; an auxiliary weight hung by a pivoted link to the otherend of said weight arm; and aspring link attached to said governor wheeland connected with said weight which controls the direction of movementof said auxiliary weight and is tensioned centripetally against themovement of said weight.

12. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor wheel;of a pin to which is attached the valve gear; an arm carrying said pin;a pivot on the governor wheel on which said pin carrying arm is pivoted;a weight arm rigidly attached to said pin carrying arm; a weight hung bya pivoted link to the end of said Weight arm; and a spring link attachedto said governor wheel and connected with said weight which controls thedirection of the movement of said weight and is tensioned centripetallyagainst the movement of said weight.

13. In a steam engine governor, the combination with the governor Wheeland the relatively moving parts of said governor; of a dash potconnected with said moving parts; and a spring rod rigidly attached tosaid dash pot and the governor wheel.

In testimony whereof I afllx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. FISH, H. C. LORD.

